Dogs are smart enough to learn new tricks. They can learn how to roll over, beg and even shake hands. Dog owners can enter their dogs into competitions, where they are judged for their appearance or for their obedience skills. More than 20,000 dogs compete every year at the world's most famous dog show - Crufts.

 

Dogs can predict earthquakes and thunderstorms. When they know that a big natural event is going to happen, dogs may become alarmed, start panting and rush madly about the house or garden. They may get very distressed and begin to whimper and shake. It is possible that dogs are sensitive to tiny changes in air pressure before thunderstroms, or can hear an earthquake's first rumbles before humans can.

 

The world's cleverst dogs are Border collies, Poodles, Belgian Malinois and German shepherds. These breeds of dog are often chosen to work with humans because they can learn new commands very quickly and are usually very obidient. Border collies are often used as sheepdogs and they are able to follow instructions to help herd an entire flock of sheep into apen.

 

Grey foxes can climb trees. You might usually expect to see cats in trees, but the grey tree fox, which lives in southern USA and Mexico, often makes its den in a hollow tree. It will climb trees to find its food - insects, birds and fruit or to escape from danger. Grey foxes live in pairs rather than in a pack.